


The Matchmaker

by skywxxrds



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 02:58:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5611294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skywxxrds/pseuds/skywxxrds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sehun is a shy boy who is popular among the ladies. He has quite an attachment to his older brother, Yifan, so they are always seen together. Later on, he meets an exchange student named Zitao, and develops a crush on him. Yifan takes this as an opportunity to push Sehun out of his comfort zone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a drabble request for an anon on my [askfm](https://ask.fm/torakiss/answers/119597852896). I am aware that the pacing for this fic is quite fast. That's because I initially wanted this to be limited to 500 words only but things got out of control. But that's only an excuse.
> 
> I still suck at writing summaries XD My only warning for this is that this fic is unbeta'd.
> 
> And also, I couldn't write anything without Kris/Suho. I guess that pairing will always be my muse.

“This is why you’ve got no friends!” Yifan says as he paces in quick strides. Thank God he has long legs. But despite his effort,  the person behind him is trailing close, his breath not even heaving, as if Yifan’s brisk walk is just child’s play.

 

“But _hyung_ ,” the boy behind Yifan whines, “I do have friends! Your friends are my friends, too! What’s wrong with that?”

 

Yifan stops in his tracks. Turning around, he utters in a firm voice, “Sehun.”

 

The boy looks up a bit, though there isn’t much of a height gap between him and Yifan; he is still a growing teenager.

 

“Sehun, how do you think you’ll survive when I graduate from this school? How will you be able to cope if we inevitably go into an argument? No one will take your side because my friends are loyal to me!”

 

Sehun pouts, puffing his cheeks while furrowing his eyebrows. “Then you’ll take my side! I know you would!”

 

Yifan sighs, “You’re hopeless.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Come on, Fanfan. Relax. Your face looks like hell.”

 

“How do you think I can eat lunch at peace when the rest of the cafeteria are looking at us?” Yifan answers, fingers steadily holding his eyeglasses, using this as an excuse to cover his face with his huge hand. Looking down at his lunch box, he tries to ignore the surveying gazes of the girls and boys around him.

 

“You’re still as conscious as ever,” Yifan’s friend chuckles, and somehow the sound of it eases Yifan.

 

“And whose fault is it that we’re here in the cafeteria instead of the student council office, huh, Junmyeon?”

 

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Junmyeon says calmly, stretching his lips to a smile. Yifan catches the glimmer in his eyes. “I forgot my lunch box; I’m sorry!”

 

“Darn it, why are you so forgetful?”

 

The smile on Junmyeon’s face is cheerful and apologetic. “Sorry! And besides, we have the handsome and renowned Vice President here with his popular freshman brother with us,” Junmyeon reasons, turning to Sehun beside him, smile still plastered on his face.

 

Yifan wants to contend by saying it’s the _President_ who is popular among both ladies and gentlemen, but the words he meant to say suddenly turned to “Oi, Junmyeon, stop spoiling him like that!” upon seeing Junmyeon feed an onigiri to Sehun.

 

Although there are only the three of them, it seems like their table is a pleasant view of beautiful flowers in a field. Even when one is trying their best not to look towards these boys, their eyes would subconsciously dart to their direction.

 

Yifan has suffered this ordeal since last year, and he still couldn’t get used to the attention, especially when he is with the equally popular School President. Because he is always seen with the President (for Student Council Purposes, that’s all! There’s nothing else to it!), much to his dislike, he has gained quite a following of fans from the student body. Still, he refuses to admit it. It’s the School President who is more popular, after all.

 

He had hoped that the attention on him would die down in the new school year, since there would be plenty of fresh faces among the first years, but he didn’t expect that his younger brother, Sehun, would be popular, too. And it doesn’t help that Sehun sticks to him like glue.

 

His brother has a shy personality—Yifan supposes it runs in the blood. It goes to say that Yifan’s circle of friends is also Sehun’s circle of friends, since they are together almost all the time. It has been like that since middle school for both of them. Yifan could only imagine how Sehun fared in his last year in middle school. He wishes Sehun would have the confidence to make friends of his own; he does worry for him like an older brother.

 

“Sehunnie,” a female voice resounds near them. Yifan looks up to see a female student, a third year, standing beside Sehun. “For you,” she says, handing him a cup of bubble tea.

 

“You better make sure it’s not poisoned, _sunbae_ ,” Junmyeon speaks in a light tone, jokingly but subtly as a warning.

 

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly do that, President,” the senior says, almost giggling, and waving her hands in front of her face. “Especially when he is the adorable family of our strong-willed Vice President.”

 

Yifan feels his blood rushing to his cheeks. He all but looks away, earning a giggle from the female senior.

 

“Stop saying such embarrassing things, _sunbae_ ,” Yifan defends himself. “Especially in front of my brother and the President.”

 

“I see our Sehunnie is popular among the older ladies,” Junmyeon chuckles, patting Sehun at his back. The younger teen almost chokes on his bubble tea. “He has even captivated the heart of our former School President!”

 

“Th-thank you, _sunbae_ ,” Sehun says in a small voice, the cup of bubble tea in his hands, attempting to hide his blush.

 

“A diligent boy like Sehunnie deserves a small token of appreciation from me,” the former School President smiles. Then waving her hands at the three of them, she says, “Enjoy your lunch, Junmyeon and Yifan! And all the best, dear Sehunnie!”

 

* * *

 

 

“Fan _ge_!!!”

 

Yifan knows that voice. And he knows what will happen after he hears his name being called by that voice. But before he could even dodge, there was a loud whoosh and when he came to, there are arms around his neck and legs on his waist, and a body pressed at his back, like a koala.

 

Fixing his glasses at the bridge of his nose, Yifan groans, “Zitao.”

 

“Good afternoon, Fan _ge_!” And although Yifan doesn’t turn around to see Zitao’s face, he knows that the latter has a smirk on.

 

“ _How is school so far, Tao-er?_ ” Yifan asks in Mandarin.

 

“ _So far, so good! I miss you Fan ge!_ ” Zitao answers back in the same language.

 

“Now, now, don’t leave the two of us out of your conversation,” Junmyeon says, and Zitao automatically lets go of Yifan and jumps off of him. Zitao bows to Junmyeon as a greeting, it seems that he is aware of the position that Junmyeon holds.

 

“I didn’t quite understood what Fanfan said, but are you enjoying school so far?” Junmyeon queries.

 

“It’s been great, Pres!” Zitao answers, earning a glare at Yifan for being so casual around the School President, to which he responds with a grin. “Baekhyun _sunbaenim_ is quite strict with practices at the hapkido club but it’s nothing I can’t manage.”

 

The smile on Junmyeon’s face shows satisfaction. “That’s the attitude! If there’s anything we can do for help, just visit us at the council office anytime, alright?”

 

“Of course!” Zitao cheers. Then peering over Junmyeon’s shoulder, he asks, “Eh? Who’s this guy with you, Pres?”

 

“Oh, this is Sehun, Yifan’s younger brother. Also a first year like you.”

 

“H-hello,” Sehun greets Zitao. Yifan catches the blush creeping on Sehun’s cheekbones.

 

“Heya! I’m Tao from Class 5! Nice to meet you, _Shixun_!”

 

Sehun tilts his head, looking at Yifan.

 

“That’s your name in Chinese, idiot.”

 

“Eh, he doesn’t know Chinese like Fan _ge_?” Zitao interjects.

 

“Unfortunately, Tao-er, he doesn’t.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I’m Oh Sehun,” Sehun says, earning a hearty laugh from both Junmyeon and Zitao. Yifan facepalms.

 

* * *

 

 

“Fanfan, can you bring these papers to the hapkido club?”

 

“President, I told you to stop calling me that when we’re in the student council office.”

 

Junmyeon pouts at his remark, and Yifan’s heart races for he knows what that puppy look on the President’s face mean.

 

“You’re _unbelievable_ , President,” Yifan resigns, ruffling his own hair. “Fine, I’ll bring these to Baekhyun.”

 

“Yay! And please tell them that the supplies they requested have arrived, so they can come claim it at the office anytime.”

 

“Nah, I’ll just bring it to them—”

 

“I’ll help!” Sehun volunteers, lifting a box from the corner of the room. “These are the ones, right?”

 

“Yes, it is. Thank you Sehunnie,” Junmyeon smiles, contented.

 

* * *

 

 

Sehun’s eyes tell Yifan that his brother thinks that the hapkido club room isn’t bad. There are a lot of people compared to the student council, and they’re all busy practicing their moves. It sure is lively over here, but Yifan gets an inkling that Sehun prefers the air of the student council office.

 

“Ah, Sehunnie, please place the box in that corner of the room. Thank you!” Baekhyun, the club captain, directs him.

 

“Baekhyun, the President wanted to give these to you,” Yifan says, handing the papers over to the club captain.

 

Sehun walks away, leaving Yifan discussing the content of the papers, and heading towards the a corner of the club room. Many of the club members sparring in pairs, while some have resorted to practicing alone, and among them, Yifan finds when Sehun halts in his tracks, is Zitao.

 

Yifan notices Sehun’s aloof face turn red, mouth slightly ajar, as he watches Zitao move languidly, like he is dancing in a trance, too focused on actualizing the form he envisioned in his head. Yifan sees his brother gulp.

 

“Ah, Sehunnie!” Baekhyun snaps Sehun out of his reverie. “At the corner! The corner!” Baekhyun instructs, voice ringing loudly despite the spirited shouts of the practicing members. Turning to Zitao, he roars, “Ya! Tao, your form is terrible!”

 

It is only when Zitao turns around and meets Sehun’s eyes did Sehun quickly avert them and went back to delivering the box of supplies to the corner of the club room.

 

 _Now this is interesting_ , Yifan speculates.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, Sehun,” Yifan barges in Sehun’s room, only to find his brother squealing like a girl and thrashing in bed, a piece of paper in his hand.

 

It seems that Sehun didn’t notice him, so Yifan saunters to Sehun, snatching the paper from the flustered boy. Sehun freezes, like doomsday has come for him, when a sinister grin creeps up Yifan’s usually stoic face.

 

“ _Confirmed_ ,” Yifan says in Mandarin

 

“Wha—What do you mean ‘ _Confirmed_ ’?” Sehun exclaims, stuttering.

 

“And since when did you learn Chinese?”

 

“I studied! And what do you mean by ‘ _Confirmed’_?”

 

“I had a hunch that you like Zitao,” Yifan answers, waving the picture that he snatched from Sehun above their heads while the younger teen reaches out to retrieve it.

 

“ _Ugh_ ,” Sehun groans, giving up on the photo and jumping on his bed to bury his red face under the pillows.

 

“Oh come on,” Yifan teases, sitting on the edge of Sehun’s bed, his weight dipping on the mattress. “Why don’t you ask him out, _Shixun_?”

 

“Ah!!! Not that name!!!” Sehun screams from under the pile of pillows. “And why are you here anyway?!”

 

“Mother told me to help you in your homework, so here I am~”

 

“Don’t you know how to knock?”

 

“Well, you don’t knock when you come into my room, either.”

 

A loud huff resounds from under the pillows.

 

“ _Shixun_ ~”

 

What Yifan gets as a response is the hand of his brother tugging on his shirt.

 

“Alright, alright, I’ll help you,” Yifan chuckles, amused, studying the photo of Zitao, running his eyes and sniffing the photo paper, pausing in contemplation for a few seconds before slipping it between the fingers of the hand tugging his shirt. There’s a strange scent on the photo paper that stirs him up a bit.

 

“Do you think he likes me a bit?” Sehun asks, voice still muffled from under the pillows.

 

Yifan hums in thought, “ _Hmm…_ ”

 

He recalls how Zitao pesters him in the hallway when he spots him alone, and how he would deftly ask details about Sehun in between their chat. Zitao is clearly interested in Sehun, that much he can certify.

 

But instead he tells his younger brother, “You won’t know if you don’t ask, _Shixun_.”

 

Sehun groans one more time under his pillows.

 

* * *

 

 

“Fan _ge_!”

 

“Yes, Tao-er?”

 

“What is it with _Shixun_ lately?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“He’s creeping me out...”

 

“Why so?”

 

“You do know how he used to avoid me when he sees me. But now, everytime I see him, he always has this look of hell in his face!”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Look at him! He’s just behind us. He’s creeping me out!”

 

Yifan turns around and sees Sehun, a good distance away from him and Zitao. True enough, Sehun has a gloomy shadow under his eyebrows, and Yifan feels a chill creep up his spine. Zitao was not exaggerating; anybody would be scared by that. Sehun seems to be mumbling something, and Yifan can only guess what it is.

 

“Good luck, Tao-er~” Yifan laughs as he waves and leaves a stunned Zitao in the hallway, taking quick strides out of his sight.

 

* * *

 

 

“And that’s it for our round of announcements and reports from your council president! May everyone fill their stomachs with good food so you all will be energetic in the classes this afternoon, and oh no, don’t groan like that! Hahaha!” Junmyeon laughs into the microphone of the broadcasting room. “Have a happy lunch break, everyone!”

 

“President has such a soothing voice, it’s so nice to the ears,” Sehun comments.

 

“You think so?” Junmyeon says. “I’ve always wanted to be in the broadcasting club, but I ended up in the student council,” he chuckles.

 

“Junmyeon hyung could sing all throughout lunch break and I wouldn’t complain about it at all!”

 

“Eh, stop flattering me, Sehunnie. Now eat your lunch,” Junmyeon says as he settles in his seat. “Thank you for coming with me today.”

 

“Nah, Fan _hyung_ asked me to help, after all,” Sehun replies. “And I’m already comfortable with Junmyeon _hyung_ so I’m glad to help.”

 

“Ah!” Junmyeon exclaims. “I forgot my water bottle in the classroom! I’ll be right back Sehunnie! Stay here.”

 

And before Sehun could answer back, the School President has already dashed out of the broadcasting room.

 

It’ll take a while for Junmyeon to return, so Sehun calmly hums to the tune of the music on the sound system.

 

Everything was peaceful until…

 

“Fan _ge_!!!”

 

Sehun fell from his chair.

 

“Eh? Fan _ge_ isn’t here?”

 

“It’s just me and the president,” Sehun says, standing up, using the table as leverage. The shadow under his furrowing eyebrows is back, and growing gloomier by the second.

 

“AH! WHY ARE YOU HERE? WHERE IS FAN _GE_? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!”

 

“YAH! Don’t shout! I can hear just fine! Fan _hyung_ isn’t here!”

 

“AAAAAAHHH!!!”

 

“Zitao, wait! I have something to tell you!”

 

“No, stay away from me, you creep!”

 

“Tao!”

 

As Zitao was about to run away, Sehun grabs him by the wrist.

 

“LET GO OF ME! YOUR FACE IS SCARY! I STILL WANT TO LIVE! DON’T KILL MEEEEE!!!” Zitao shouts, squirming from Sehun’s hold.

 

“HUANG ZITAO,  I LIKE YOU! PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!” Sehun screams, and he couldn’t believe that he did it himself, after all those times he practiced speaking those words, gaining criticisms and endless teasing from his older brother, only to be avoided whenever the person of his affections come within his vision at the time when he is finally ready to confess. He admits he feels disheartened every time Zitao flees, but he knows Zitao will always be around as long as he trails after his older brother.

 

And then there was an awkward silence.

 

“You…” Zitao says, stunned.

 

Sehun flinches, awaiting rejection or a punch to his face.

 

“You… Like… Me… Too?”

 

“ _Too_ ?!” Sehun is too shocked to believe it. “What do you mean… ‘ _Too’_?!”

 

“I thought you hated me for hanging out with your brother! _Ihavealwayshadacrushonyoubutlatelyyoulooklikeyouhatemesomuchyouregonnakillmeand—_ ”

 

“PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!” Sehun shouts once more.

 

“YES!” Zitao says, too instantly, out of shock.

 

Now both of them have their mouths open at disbelief.

 

“Hey, will you tone it down? Everyone can hear you, you know?” A voice by the door says. When the two first years turn around, they are greeted by the too-happy bespectacled Vice President.

 

Sehun still has his mouth open in surprise, and slowly facing the mixer of the broadcasting room, he discovers that the microphone is still on. He hisses at his brother, “You planned this all along, didn’t you?”

 

The Vice President all but grins, too triumphantly.

 

Sehun was about to plunge his fist at Yifan when suddenly, the President appeared behind the taller teen.

 

“I’m sorry about that, Sehunnie,” he says, apologetic but all the while giggling in amusement. “It’s my fault for leaving the microphone on. Ah, I’m so forgetful, sorry about that! And don’t worry, everyone heard you and Zitao.”

 

The heat on Sehun’s face rises like it could cook pancakes.

 

* * *

 

 

Standing behind a tree not so far away, Yifan smiles contentedly while watching Sehun and Zitao talking to each other, more like Zitao chattering away while Sehun is listening attentively to him, face still red.

 

Yifan sighs, taking his glasses off and tucking it in his breast pocket.

 

_Finally, there’s something new for Sehun._

 

“Are you done playing matchmaker now?”

 

A hand entwining his, a familiar warmth on his arm.

 

“ _Uh-huh_ ,” Yifan nods, as if the sudden intrusion doesn’t faze him at all. He doesn’t even look at his side because he already knows that this touch, this voice, and this presence belong to none other than Junmyeon. “It’s not as if you didn’t play the role too.”

 

Junmyeon chuckles. “What are you talking about?” He says in a sing-song voice.

 

“Don’t even try to hide it from me. You’re the one who gave Sehun that photo of Tao.”

 

Junmyeon leans on Yifan’s arm. “How did you know?”

 

“You can’t fool me. That photo reeks of your perfume.”

 

The President lets out a hearty laugh, “Ah, I guess I can never defeat your excellent observation skills.”

 

“Well, I’m glad that our role as matchmakers are over now. I’m done babysitting.”

 

“Good, because I need my boyfriend back,” Junmyeon says, pulling Yifan by the necktie and kissing him full on the lips.

 

“I miss my alone time with you,” Junmyeon adds, mumbling the words on Yifan’s lips.

 

Yifan smiles and leans in for another kiss. “And I miss you too.”

**Author's Note:**

>   * _Ge_ = _gege_ (哥哥)=Chinese for “older brother”
>   * _Hyung_ =형=Korean for “older brother”
>   * _Sunbae_ =선배=Korean for “upperclassman”; Japanese equivalent: senpai
>   * _onigiri_ = a Japanese food made of white rice
>   * _hapkido_ =a korean martial art
>   * _Tao-er_ is Yifan’s nickname of Zitao
>   * _Shixun_ is Sehun’s name in Chinese
> 

> 
> I’m sorry if I couldn’t stick to one language. I tried my best.
> 
> Yifan and Sehun are brothers, and since they are half-Chinese, half-Korean, they get exposed to both languages and cultures. Yifan is bilingual, while Sehun is still struggling with his Chinese. But it would be easier with him now that Tao is around to help him!


End file.
